A National Lottery grant of £110,000 could be claimed for MJ's Youth Cafe in Malvern after backers raised £5,000 in support funding.

The final piece in the jigsaw fell into place with a decision by Malvern Town Council to contribute £1,000. This was added to the £2,000 pledged by Worcestershire Health Authority, £1,000 from MJ's reserves and £1,000 from Malvern Hills Lions' Club.

The Youth Cafe, in the basement of the Oxfam charity shop in Church Street, was recently closed by MJ's trustees while the lease was renegotiated.

The cafe had been operating for three years at the location, opening an average of three and a half days a week. It has also hosted weekly surgeries on issues like sex education, provided through the County Youth Service with funding from the NHS.

In September, the group secured a £110,000 National Lottery grant to develop its work over the next three years. In order to activate the money, trustees had to raise £5,000 to cover the cost of the new lease.

The Town Council's management committee met last week and approved the money and also voted to investigate closer ties between the two organisations.

These could run to the Town Council taking over the management of MJs staff. Another issue being looked at is the possibility of relocating the facility.

Community Safety Officer Jenny Lawrence, who has been heavily involved in the project, welcomed the news.

"I'm delighted that the Town Council has agreed to support the project," she said. "

MJ's is a valuable community resource, not only providing a safe environment for youngsters, but also acts as a venue for counselling services to youngsters who have many problems."